Technical Field
This application relates generally to the field of secure electronic messaging and in particular to storing cryptographic information contained in an electronic message in a memory of a computer device.
Description of the State of the Art
Known secure messaging clients, such as e-mail software applications operating on a computer device, maintain separate data stores or data storage areas for storing secure messaging information separate from other information. Such secure messaging information may include digital certificates, public keys, and the like. The other information may include contact information such as an address book, schedule information such as calendar reminders and appointments, and the like. A digital certificate may include information relevant to other types of stored information. For example, a digital certificate normally includes the public key of an entity as well as identity information that is bound to the public key with one or more digital signatures. When a digital certificate is loaded onto a system for use by a messaging client, if the entity's contact information is not already stored in an address store accessible to the messaging client, then a user must either manually add contact information for the entity identified in the digital certificate into an address book or similar contact list stored on the messaging client or manually enter an address for the entity each time a message is to be sent to that entity.